"Microsoft has been furiously ripping out legacy code in Windows 8 that would have enabled third parties to bring back the Start button, Start Menu, and other software bits that could have made this new OS look and work like its predecessor. In fact, I've seen that several well-known UI hacks that worked fine with the Windows 8 Consumer Preview are no longer functional in the coming Release Preview. And those with hopes that Microsoft would allow businesses, at least, to boot directly to the desktop should prepare for disappointment. That feature not only isn't happening, it's being removed from Windows Server 12 (Windows 8's stable mate) as well." When you buy a new machine later this year, you will use Metro, an environment wholly inferior, incomplete, and not at all ready to replace the traditional desktop in any way, shape, or form. Whether you like it or not.

I expect Windows 9 to arrive somewhere in 2013 with the return of the normal Windows Desktop.

I also expect Ubuntu and GNOME to do the same sometime down the line. Let's face it, these "new" interface designs that are being thrown at us are just experiments gone wrong. The desktop computer will always be needed and have it's place.

"I expect Windows 9 to arrive somewhere in 2013 with the return of the normal Windows Desktop.

I also expect Ubuntu and GNOME to do the same sometime down the line. Let's face it, these "new" interface designs that are being thrown at us are just experiments gone wrong. The desktop computer will always be needed and have it's place. "

I agree with Metro, I'm not so sure about Unity and GNOME.

My brother and our common friend both run Unity quite happily (both switched from Win7) and, aside from needing some patches (like the experimental "put the menu bars back on the windows" one Canonical was poking around with), it seems like something I could get comfortable with too.

(Were I not running LXDE because it does everything I want in a much leaner package)

I also expect Ubuntu and GNOME to do the same sometime down the line. Let's face it, these "new" interface designs that are being thrown at us are just experiments gone wrong. The desktop computer will always be needed and have it's place.

Don't conflate systems like Unity or Gnome Shell with Metro. Those interfaces are flashy, but fundamentally, they're just a minor evolution of the traditional desktops that we've been using for a couple of decades. They're still all about application windows, menu bars, icons, etc - ultimately, they're both just fancy window managers.

Windows 8 / Metro, on the other hand... that *is* different. *Very* different.